Effect of a Liver Bypass and Overtransfusion on “Trapping” of Red Cells. ∗

Abstract

Summary

In anesthetized dogs, the measured cell and plasma volumes, protein concentration, venous hematocrit and BVR_cells were the same before and after bypassing the liver with a portal vein to femoral vein shunt. An overtransfusion of blood after the bypass produced significant changes in all measured circulatory parameters. At the end of the experiment the volume of trapped cells was 33 % of the cells infused, and the escaped plasma was 93% of the infused. Protein lost represented 78% of the infused. Circulatory and venous hematocrits were the same after the bypass and transfusion, suggesting that under these circumstances cells and plasma were evenly distributed throughout the circulation. Mean arterial pressure was reduced slightly after insertion of the bypass and also after the overtransfusion. Portal venous pressure increased when the liver was bypassed and further increased after the transfusion following the bypass.